Uv lamp and anti-scale water treatment water heater apparatus with sanitation loop with transparent wall

ABSTRACT

A water heating and treatment system includes a water heater, a hot water outflow line from the water heater, and a cold water supply line to supply water to the water heater. The cold water supply line includes at least one of an anti-scale device, and a UV sanitation lamp. A mixing station supplies a temperature regulated heated water to one or multiple temperature zones. The water heater, the anti-scale device, the UV sanitation lamp, and the mixing station are contained in a single enclosure having at least one transparent wall through which components can be viewed. A method for treating hot water to suppress pathogens and undesired bacterial content in a domestic water system is also described.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to and thebenefit of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/595,781, UVLAMP AND ANTI-SCALE WATER TREATMENT WATER HEATER APPARATUS WITHSANITATION LOOP, filed Oct. 8, 2019, and U.S. patent application Ser.No. 16/196,538, UV LAMP AND ANTI-SCALE WATER TREATMENT WATER HEATERAPPARATUS WITH SANITATION LOOP, filed Nov. 20, 2018, which applicationsare incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE APPLICATION

The application relates to sanitization of water and particularly tosanitization of water in a water heater and treatment system.

BACKGROUND

Legionnaires' disease from bacteria vaporized by evaporation fromcontaminated waters contaminated with Legionella germs is a well-knownrisk. As described, for example, by the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC), in the June 2016 issue of Vitalsigns™, “Legionellagrows best in building water systems that are not well maintained.Building owners and managers should adopt newly published standards thatpromote Legionella water management programs, which are ways to reducethe risk of this germ in building water systems”.

SUMMARY

A water heating and treatment system includes a water heater, a hotwater outflow line from the water heater, and a cold water supply lineto supply water to the water heater. The cold water supply line includesat least one of an anti-scale device, and a UV sanitation lamp. A mixingstation supplies a temperature regulated heated water to one or multipletemperature zones. The mixing station is fluidly coupled to the coldwater supply line and to the hot water outflow line from the waterheater, the mixing station to supply heated water to at least a firsttemperature zone at a first hot water temperature. The water heater, theanti-scale device, the UV sanitation lamp, and the mixing station arecontained in a single enclosure having at least one transparent wallthrough which components can be viewed.

The single enclosure can include two of the transparent walls onopposite sides of the enclosure.

The water heating and treatment system can further include a hot waterrecirculation line contained in the enclosure. The water heating andtreatment system can further include a one-way check valve disposed inthe hot water recirculation line.

The hot water recirculation line can include a sediment filter. The hotwater recirculation line can include an additional UV lamp sanitationdevice. The hot water recirculation line can include an additionalanti-scale device.

The water heater can include an automatic blow down device including ablow down valve controlled by the water heater controller, the automaticblow down device to dispose of scale formed in the water heater.

The water heater can include a gas fired heater with a modulated burner.The water heater can include an indirectly fired heat exchanger. Thewater heater can include an electric heater.

The water heating and treatment system can further include at least onechemical injector downstream of the hot water outlet of the waterheater. The water heating and treatment system can include a hottemperature distribution water held to about a setpoint temperature bythe mixing station, and a high temperature water distribution fluidlycoupled to the outlet line of the water heater without active watertemperature tempering. The water heating and treatment system canfurther include a one-way check valve at the hot water outlet of thewater heater. The water heating and treatment system can further includea water heater sanitation loop connected to the hot water outflow linefrom the water heater including a sanitation loop pump to circulate hotwater within the water heater, the water heater sanitation loopcontained in the enclosure.

A water heater controller can cause an activation of the water heatersanitation loop and a water temperature of the water heater to increasemomentarily to a sanitization temperature above 151° F. for one or moreperiods of at least two minutes in a sanitation loop mode, and whereinthe single or multiple temperature regulating mixing station maintainsthe at least first temperature zone at about the first hot watertemperature during operation of the sanitation loop mode.

The water heater controller can cause the activation of the water heatersanitation loop on a pre-determined schedule. The water heatercontroller can be communicatively coupled to at least one of: the UVsanitation lamp or the anti-scale device, and the water heatercontroller causes the activation of the water heater sanitation loop inresponse to a detection of at least one of: an anti-scale device failureindication or a sanitation lamp failure indication.

The cold water supply line can include a sediment filter.

A method for treating hot water to suppress pathogens and undesiredbacterial content in a water system includes: providing a water heater,a cold water supply line to supply water to the water heater, the coldwater supply line including an anti-scale device and a UV sanitationlamp, a mixing station to supply a temperature regulated heated water toone or multiple temperature zones, the mixing station fluidly coupled tothe cold water supply line and to a hot water outflow line from thewater heater, the mixing station to supply heated water to at least afirst temperature zone at a first hot water temperature, and wherein thewater heater, the anti-scale device, the UV sanitation lamp, and themixing station are housed in a single enclosure having at least onetransparent wall through which components can be viewed; and sanitizinga cold water before flowing or pumping the cold water to the waterheater.

The method can further include providing a water heater sanitation loopconnected to the hot water outflow line from the water heater includinga sanitation loop pump to circulate hot water within the water heater,and sanitizing hot water of the water heater by operating the sanitationloop pump to circulate hot water within the water heater at an elevatedtemperature exceeding 151° F. (66° C.) and holding the elevatedtemperature in the water heater for at least 2 minutes as controlled bya water heater controller.

The step of sanitizing the hot water of the water heater by operatingthe water heater sanitation loop can include sanitizing the hot water ofthe water heater by operating the water heater sanitation loop on aperiodic schedule. The step of sanitizing the hot water of the waterheater by operating the water heater sanitation loop can includesanitizing the hot water of the water heater by operating the waterheater sanitation loop in response to a fault alarm of the UV sanitationlamp or the anti-scale device.

The single enclosure can be provided with two of the transparent wallson opposite sides of the enclosure.

The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages of theapplication will become more apparent from the following description andfrom the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the application can be better understood with referenceto the drawings described below, and the claims. The drawings are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed uponillustrating the principles described herein. In the drawings, likenumerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the various views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary UV lamp andanti-scale water treatment water heater apparatus with sanitation loopaccording to the Application;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing recommended sanitation temperatures andtimes; and

FIG. 3 shows a drawing of an exemplary self enclosed, single cabinetimplementation of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As described hereinabove, Legionnaires' disease from bacteria vaporizedby evaporation from contaminated waters contaminated with Legionellagerms is a well-known risk. Water heaters, including low volumeinstantaneous hot heater heaters, pose a significant risk if mitigationtechniques are not in place. Associated cold water supply lines and hotwater distribution systems are also at risk from contamination bypathogens such as Legionella, bacteria, and other undesirablemicroorganisms in a domestic water system.

One method to substantially eliminate Legionella and other pathogens isto heat the water to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient amount oftime. One method of the prior art is to heat water in a system to about50° C. to 60° C. for about an hour. However, such sanitation methods canalso cause several problems. Bulk heating of the water in the system forsanitation reasons uses significantly more energy consumption than mightotherwise be used. Also, the overall system or parts of the system mayneed to be removed from service during periods of elevated watertemperatures used for system sanitation cycles. More recently, it hasbeen found that further elevated water temperatures above 151° F. (66°C.) or higher can be effective in at least about two minute sanitationcycles. However, the energy cost compared normal lower hot watertemperature should still be considered.

In recent years, sanitation by ultraviolet light has become moreeffective and more widely used. One advantage of UV sanitation is thatthe UV light can be operated continuously to treat water at one or morekey point in domestic water system, such as, for example, in a coldwater supply line, and also in a recirculating water return line.

Pathogens also accumulate in scale formation at various places in adomestic water system and heater. There have been efforts related towater hardness to mitigate scale formation to prevent failure andpremature aging of various water system components. Scale buildup hasalso been found to be a gross vector for pathogens such as Legionella.Scale deposits provide a place where pathogens such as biofilms canadhere. There should also be efforts to mitigate scale formation tosubstantially prevent habitats for pathogens.

Anti-scale technologies, such as, for example, the OneFlow® anti-scalesystem, available from Watts Water Technologies, Inc. of North Andover,Mass., can be employed as part of a pathogen suppression program.Anti-scale systems are distinguished from water softening devices andsystems which are less or not effective at preventing scale buildup aspart of a pathogen suppression or mitigation program. U.S. Pat. No.9,879,120 B2, RESIN FOR PRECIPITATION OF MINERALS AND SALTS, METHODS OFMANUFACTURE AND USES THEREOF, assigned to Watts Water Technologies Inc.,describes a method of producing a scale-control resin including anaqueous solution a cation-exchange resin and a weak-acid anion mineralor salt having a multivalent cation to allow ion exchange between theresin and the multivalent cation. The cation-exchange resin may be aweak-acid ion exchange resin. The method may further include adding astrong-acid salt having the same multivalent cation as the weak-acidanion mineral or salt to the aqueous solution. U.S. Patent ApplicationSer. No. 62/675,898, QCM MEASUREMENT OF SCALE FORMATION, describes anexemplary water hardness mitigation or treatment evaluation system andmethod to evaluate the effectiveness of a water hardness mitigation ortreatment evaluation system. Such exemplary techniques can be used todevelop a fault indication for an anti-scale apparatus which can bereceived by a controller, such as the water heater controller, similarto a fault from a UV lamp device. The '120 patent and '898 applicationare incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

The addition of UV sanitation and/or water treatment products, such asthe OneFlow® products in a domestic water system can provide sufficienttreatment and pathogen mitigation alone. Because the energy consumptionof such systems is relatively small (e.g. the power to run one or moreUV lamps, or the power to monitor operation of a water treatment systemwhich is negligible), domestic water sanitation can be now accomplishedwithout the higher cost for the additional energy consumption used toraise the temperature of the water for sanitation by elevated watertemperature. Exemplary suitable UV sanitation systems have beendescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,738,547 B2, ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT SANITIZINGASSEMBLY WITH FLOW SWITCH AND KEYED LAMP, and U.S. Pat. No. 9,932,245B2, UV SANITIZING ASSEMBLIES WITH HIGH DOSE FEATURES AND METHODS FORCONTROLLING THE SAME, both assigned to Watts Water Technologies, Inc.The '547 and '245 patents are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety for all purposes.

More advanced UV sanitation systems offer fault indications, typicallyvia a local component controller which can also be in communication witha building controller, such as, for example, a system programmable logiccontroller and/or directly in communication with the water heatercontroller (e.g. a processor or microcomputer based controller). Faults,such as, a UV lamp failure can be displayed or alarmed locally and/orthrough a building controller system. Unfortunately, it is common formany such domestic water systems to continue to provide water to endusers, including sinks and showers, sometimes for relatively longperiods of time, before a defective UV lamp or other sanitation deviceis realized to be defective and/or there can be a delay until the faileddevice is repaired. Failure of timely maintenance and repair of watersanitization components might be caused by a lack of routine system andmaintenance checks, a delay in calling for the repair, a lack of spareparts on hand, or carelessness by a building owner. After some period oftime without device repair or replacement, the domestic water system canbecome vulnerable to contamination by pathogens, as if the failedremediation equipment had never been installed.

There is a need for a water heating and treatment, system and methodwhich can effectively suppress pathogens, including undesired bacterialcontent, in a domestic water system with some degree of certainly, evenwhere one or more sanitation device has failed or is otherwiseinoperative.

It was realized that by incorporating advanced pathogen mitigationdevices as part of a water heating system, that an elevated temperaturewater heater sanitation loop can be programmatically operated onschedule, and/or operated on a fault indication from a sanitationdevice, such as a UV lamp or anti-scale device communicatively coupledto a controller of the water heater. Where the controller of the waterheater has such fault information, the controller can include a processto automatically invoke a backup or failsafe sanitation routinefollowing notification of a fault by one or more of the systemsanitation devices.

Scheduled operation of a sanitation loop: On a predetermined schedule,the controller of the water heater can command the water heater (e.g. asby modulating the burner heat output of a gas fired water heater, ascontrolled by the water heater controller) to an elevated temperaturefor a desired period of time as a scheduled backup or failsafesanitation operation.

Operation of a sanitation loop in response to a fault detection: Onnotification from one or more sanitation devices that the sanitationdevice has failed (e.g. a failed UV lamp), the controller of the waterheater can command the water heater (e.g. as by modulating the burnerheat output of a gas fired water heater, as controlled by the waterheater controller) to an elevated temperature for a desired period oftime. For example, there can be scheduled at a predetermined interval orintervals, 2 minute temperature rises of the hot water in the waterheater to above 151° F. The sanitation effectiveness of periods ofelevated hot water temperature can be enhanced by a water flow throughthe water heater, such as a water flow caused by a close-in bypass loopwhich includes a sanitation pump.

In one exemplary embodiment, the water heater includes a sanitationbypass sanitation loop with a sanitation loop pump. Either on apre-programmed schedule and/or following notice of a sanitation devicefailure from the failed device, the water heater controller runs asanitation process, where the sanitation loop is activated (includingactivation of the sanitation loop pump) and the temperature of the waterin the heater is raised by the water heater to an elevated temperaturefor an appropriate time, for that elevated temperature, to killpathogens. For example, using currently best understood sanitationtechniques, the water heater can increase the temperature in the waterheater to above 151° F. in one or periodic cycles lasting at least twominutes. Such water heater cycles can be performed by any suitablenumber of times during a day and repeated as for as long as is neededuntil the fault indication from the sanitation device goes away or isotherwise reset. As described hereinabove, there can also be sanitationcycles run on a predetermined schedule, even in the absence ofsanitation device fault indications, as a backup or failsafe mode ofoperation for a more certain pathogen suppression. An entire sanitationcycle, including heating the water to above 151° F. and at least 2minutes of relatively high water velocity (high flow rate) through thesanitation loop at the elevated temperature above 151° F.

Some hot water distribution lines may be able to continue to operatenormally without any additional manual or automatic operations duringthe times of elevated hot water temperature. For example, some hightemperature water users, such as, for example, some industrial typewashers and dishwashers can run normally even with periods of elevatedhot water temperatures such as can result from operation of thesanitation loop (where there is no mixing valve in the hot waterdistribution line). Other hot water distribution systems cannot toleratean elevated hot water supply at the sanitation temperature, such as, forexample, hot water to building sinks and showers. However, water tothose “low temperature” hot water distribution lines can be suppliedthrough a mixing system, such as, for example a digital mixing system,where cold water is automatically injected into the distribution line toensure that the desired hot water temperature, typically about 120° F.is provided, despite any short term operation of a sanitation loop atthe water heater causing higher than normal water temperature of the hotwater in the water heater as well as the hot water at the water heateroutlet line.

There can also be either a single or a multiple mixing station whichsupplies heated water to one or multiple temperature zones. The singleor multiple mixing station is fluidly coupled to the cold water supplyline and to a hot water outflow line from the water heater. The singleor multiple mixing station supplies heated water to at least a firsttemperature zone at a first hot water temperature.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary UV lamp and anti-scalewater treatment water heater apparatus with sanitation loop 100 forsuppression of pathogens including undesired bacterial content in adomestic water system (i.e. mitigation of pathogens such as Legionellain potable water systems) according to the Application. Cold or coolwater 181 enters UV lamp and anti-scale water treatment water heaterapparatus with sanitation loop 100 from a source of potable cold water181 (e.g. a municipal domestic water utility source as distributedwithin a building) passing through a sediment filter (A) 171, anti-scalesystem 141 and UV water treatment lamp (A) 131 to ensure thatsubstantially no waterborne pathogens are introduced to the water heater110 from the municipal supply. The anti-scale system 141 is placedbefore the UV lamp 131 to substantially prevent scale formation or buildup in the UV lamp. The anti-scale system 141 also prevents scaleformation in the water heater 110. Optional booster pump 153 can providea desired water pressure and flow rate for the cold water inlet supplyline. Cold water 181 is provided to the hot water 110 (of any suitabledomestic water heater, form clarity of illustration, not shown in detailin FIG. 1) via cold water line 196, one way valve 163 (which preventshot water from the sanitation loop from flowing into the cold waterlines), and line 193 which doubles for cold water supply, and to providethe return line for the sanitation loop 101.

One suitable anti-scale system is the OneFlow® anti-scale systemavailable from Watts Water Technologies, Inc. of North Andover, Mass.Water heater 110 can be a part of a water heater device such as, forexample, any suitable water heater available from PVi™ of Fort Worth,Tex., or from AERCO International, Inc. of Blauvelt, N.Y.

Water is heated to the desired setpoint and delivered to an integralmixing valve such as a digital mixing station 160. Suitable digitalmixing stations include, for example, the IntelliStation™ available fromPOWERS™ (Watts Water Technologies, Inc.) of North Andover, Mass.Principles of mixing have been described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No.9,122,284 B2, Electromechanical temperature regulation system forproviding tempered mix water, assigned to PVI Industries Inc. (WattsWater Technologies, Inc.). Hot water from water heater 110 is providedto the mixing station 160 via one way valve 161, and hot water lines 191and 194 to provide the “first temperature” hot water 131 supply. Digitalmixing station 160 is used for tempering water to a controlledtemperature hot water supply, shown in FIG. 1 as LT supply 131. Hotwater is supplied directly to the high temperature water system, shownin FIG. 1 as HT supply 133.

Any suitable water heater 110 can be used. It is unimportant whether asource of heat, heats the water in the water heater directly (e.g. sometypes of electrical heating elements), or if there is a heat exchanger,such as, for example, where a hot combustion gas flows through tubesthat run through a water heater to heat the water. It is alsounimportant what type of fuel is used. While in commercial waterheaters, gas burning burners are common, the same system and processesdescribed by the Application can be implemented with electric, oil,direct, or indirect heat exchangers, including steam or non-potableboiler water heaters.

Exemplary suitable heat exchanger units include a plate and frame heatexchanger heater used with boiler water on one side and domestic waterheater on the other side. The higher temperature boiler water heats thedomestic water to the desired hot water temperature. Steam heating canalso be used, such as where steam runs through pipe with water flowingaround the pipe in a shell. For example, the water heater can include anindirectly fired heat exchanger, such as a plate and frame heatexchanger, a brazed plate heat exchanger, or a shell and tube heatexchanger. Or, the water heater can include an indirectly fired steamheated heat exchanger, such as a brazed plate heat exchanger, or a shelland tube heat exchanger.

Other suitable water heaters include gas fired water heaters, such asthose with a modulated burner. Electrical elements, such as, forexample, coiled electrical heating elements can also be used to moredirectly heat the water in an instantaneous type water heater. It isunderstood that water heaters as described hereinabove typically includeany suitable water heater controller (e.g. controller 201, FIG. 1).

Controller 201 is typically, but not necessarily, the same as thecontroller of the water heater 110 via communication line 203.Controller 201 is optionally communicatively coupled to UV watertreatment lamp (A) 131 via communication line 205, anti-scale system 141via communication line 209, and/or UV water treatment lamp (B) 133 viacommunication line 207. Similarly, controller 201 can be optionallycommunicatively coupled via communication line 211 to any suitablecommunication lines to peripherals, such as, for example, one or moredisplays or indicators (not shown in FIG. 1) and/or any suitable wiredor wireless connections (e.g. Bluetooth, WIFI, etc., to any othersuitable computers or controllers. Communication lines 203, 205, 207,209 and/or 211 can be any suitable wired or wireless connections of anysuitable hardwired control wires, hardwired communication bus orprotocol, any suitable wireless connection and/or any combinationthereof.

Sediment filters 171, 173 can remove undesired particulate matter beforeit enters the parts of the UV lamp and anti-scale water treatment waterheater apparatus with sanitation loop 100 at either the cold water inletor the recirculation water inlet. Any suitable sediment filter can beused.

Recirculation water is water that has gone out to a building hot waterdistribution system, but that was not used at any of the fixtures, ordevices and which can be returned via a UV lamp and anti-scale watertreatment water heater apparatus with sanitation loop 100 as “unused”hot water. In the exemplary system of FIG. 1, building recirculationwater is brought back to the UV lamp and anti-scale water treatmentwater heater apparatus with sanitation loop 100 via sediment filter (B)173 and UV water treatment lamp (B) 133, to ensure that substantially nowaterborne pathogens are introduced to the system from the building hotwater distribution lines and fixtures. Recirculated hot water 183 isdistributed directly back into the water heater via line 195 forreheating and reuse, and to the mixing valve 160 via one-way check valve165 and line 199.

Chemical injection ports 181, 183 (e.g. for chlorine dioxide) can beoptionally used to further treat the outgoing hot water from the waterheater. Chemicals such as chlorine dioxide are preferably introduceddownstream of the heat exchanger so that they do not deteriorate theheat exchanger structure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing recommended sanitation temperatures andtimes sanitation Loop Sequence of Operation. The Diagram shows howseveral Legionella species, including Legionella pneumophila, respond towater temperatures in a laboratory setting. In an actual hot-watersystem, legionellae may multiply at temperatures well above 122° F.because of scale, biofilm and other complexities (Legionellae Control inHealth Care Facilities: A Guide for Minimizing Risk, Matthew Freije, HCInfo, as reprinted in Understanding Potential Water Heater Scald HazardsA White Paper Developed by the ASSE International Scald Awareness TaskGroup, May 2013).

Sanitation loop—When enabled, the UV lamp and anti-scale water treatmentwater heater apparatus with sanitation loop 100 resets the setpointtemperature of the water heater from a normal operational setting (e.g.typically about 120° F. to 140° F.), up to about 160° F. As part of thesanitation or sanitation loop 101, circulating pump 151 pumps water fromthe supply connection 191 through pipe 192 to the cold inlet connection193 and continues until the water within water heater 110 temperatureexceeds above 151° F. (66° C.) and holds for at least 2 minutes, per thewater treatment recommendations of FIG. 2.

Suitable water flow rates for the sanitation loop range as caused by thesanitation pump in the sanitation bypass loop are generally at leastabout the GPM flow rate of the water heater in normal operation, orhigher. Note that a sanitation loop is distinct from bypass loops of theprior art which are used for temperature regulation and otherapplications, such as continuous water circulation or condensationreduction in the water heater. Such bypass loops use relatively smalldiameter pipes, and much lower flow rates, not suitable for the newsanitation loop described hereinabove.

Example

A water heater includes a sanitation loop as described hereinabove usinga 2″ pipe diameter and a ⅓ hp pump to achieve a sanitation loop flowrate of about 80 GPM. Typically, the pump and sanitation loop pipeshould be large enough to support a flow greater than the normal flow ofheated water from the water heater (i.e. as related to the heat capacityof the water heater).

When complete, the setpoint can be returned to the pre-sanitation loopnormal operating temperature and the heated water will be delivered tothe mixing valve 160, and where used, to the high temperature systemwater 133 supply. The sanitation loop function can be scheduled forperiodic operation (e.g. at regular or irregular time intervals) and/oroperated based on a maintenance alarm, such as, for example, a faultindication from a water quality or water treatment device, such as a UVlamp fault or an anti-scale fault indication.

Automatic Blowdown Sequence of Operation—In some embodiments, anauto-blowdown feature can automatically drain any sediment that may havesettled to the bottom of the heater by operation of an automatic blowdown valve 121. Once complete the drain valve can be closed and the unitplaced back into its standard sequence of operation. An automaticblowdown sequence can be programmed to be performed on a regular orirregular schedule and/or on a more frequent operating schedule, suchas, for example, in response to a fault condition, such as, for example,a fault indication from the anti-scale system. Such anti-scale systemfault indications are being developed for commercialization, such as,for example, the QCM system described in the '898 application referenceto hereinabove.

Controller—the water heater can include any suitable controller,typically a processor based controller. The controller can be based onany suitable embedded processor or embedded computer. The water heatercontrol can monitor and report the status and faults of the UV fluencyand Mixing Valve, as well as perform standard water heater operationalfunctions.

The UV lamp and anti-scale water treatment water heater apparatus withsanitation loop of FIG. 1 can be built into a single enclosure as acompact self enclosed apparatus. FIG. 3 shows a drawing of an exemplaryself enclosed, single cabinet implementation of the apparatus of FIG. 1.The exemplary water heating and treatment system with UV lamp andanti-scale water treatment sanitation for suppression of pathogens andundesired bacterial content in a domestic water system of FIG. 3 showsthe water heater, the anti-scale device, the UV sanitation lamp, thesingle or multiple mixing station and the water heater sanitation loopall housed in a single enclosure having at least one transparent wallthrough which the components can be viewed, such as by the person shownstanding next to the housing in FIG. 3.

Applications of the UV lamp and anti-scale water treatment water heaterapparatus with sanitation loop of FIG. 1 include domestic hot waterinstallations for critical healthcare facilities such as hospitals, andin the hospitality areas, including, for example, restaurants, resorts,and hotels.

Instantaneous water heaters have relatively small volumes of heatedwater, and hot water tanks are no longer used or at least are lesscommon in modern water heating applications and installations. However,those skilled in the art will recognize that the same techniques of a UVlamp and anti-scale water treatment water heater apparatus withsanitation loop as described by the Application, can be applied to hotwater tanks of a hot water system. While present trends are towardswater heaters that heat water on demand (e.g. instantaneous waterheaters as used in the exemplary systems described hereinabove), thoseskilled in the art will also recognize that the same techniques of a UVlamp and anti-scale water treatment water heater apparatus withsanitation loop as described by the Application can also be applied totank type water heaters.

Software or firmware of processors, controllers, and computers that canbe used to implement a water heater, a digital mixing station, a UV lampand an anti-scale water treatment water heater apparatus with sanitationloop of FIG. 1 can be provided on any suitable computer readablenon-transitory storage medium. A computer readable non-transitorystorage medium as non-transitory data storage includes any data storedon any suitable media in a non-fleeting manner Such data storageincludes any suitable computer readable non-transitory storage medium,including, but not limited to hard drives, non-volatile RAM, SSDdevices, CDs, DVDs, etc.

It will be appreciated that variants of the above-disclosed and otherfeatures and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined intomany other different systems or applications. Various presentlyunforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, orimprovements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in theart which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A water heating and treatment system comprising:a water heater; a hot water outflow line from said water heater; a coldwater supply line to supply water to said water heater, said cold watersupply line comprising at least one of an anti-scale device, and a UVsanitation lamp; a mixing station to supply a temperature regulatedheated water to one or multiple temperature zones, said mixing stationfluidly coupled to said cold water supply line and to the hot wateroutflow line from said water heater, said mixing station to supplyheated water to at least a first temperature zone at a first hot watertemperature; wherein said water heater, said anti-scale device, said UVsanitation lamp, and said mixing station are contained in a singleenclosure having at least one transparent wall through which componentscan be viewed.
 2. The water heating and treatment system of claim 1,wherein said single enclosure includes two of the transparent walls onopposite sides of the enclosure.
 3. The water heating and treatmentsystem of claim 1, further comprising a hot water recirculation linecontained in said enclosure.
 4. The water heating and treatment systemof claim 3, further comprising a one-way check valve disposed in saidhot water recirculation line.
 5. The water heating and treatment systemof claim 3, wherein said hot water recirculation line comprises asediment filter.
 6. The water heating and treatment system of claim 3,wherein said hot water recirculation line comprises an additional UVlamp sanitation device.
 7. The water heating and treatment system ofclaim 3, wherein said hot water recirculation line comprises anadditional anti-scale device.
 8. The water heating and treatment systemof claim 1, wherein said water heater comprises an automatic blow downdevice including a blow down valve controlled by said water heatercontroller, said automatic blow down device to dispose of scale formedin said water heater.
 9. The water heating and treatment system of claim1, wherein said water heater comprises a gas fired heater with amodulated burner.
 10. The water heating and treatment system of claim 1,wherein said water heater comprises an indirectly fired heat exchanger.11. The water heating and treatment system of claim 1, wherein saidwater heater comprises an electric heater.
 12. The water heating andtreatment system of claim 1, further comprising at least one chemicalinjector downstream of said hot water outlet of said water heater. 13.The water heating and treatment system of claim 1, comprising hottemperature distribution water held to about a setpoint temperature bysaid mixing station, and a high temperature water distribution fluidlycoupled to the outlet line of said water heater without active watertemperature tempering.
 14. The water heating and treatment system ofclaim 1, further comprising a one-way check valve at said hot wateroutlet of said water heater.
 15. The water heating and treatment systemof claim 1, further comprising a water heater sanitation loop connectedto the hot water outflow line from said water heater including asanitation loop pump to circulate hot water within said water heater,said water heater sanitation loop contained in said enclosure.
 16. Thewater heating and treatment system of claim 15, wherein a water heatercontroller causes an activation of said water heater sanitation loop anda water temperature of said water heater to increase momentarily to asanitization temperature above 151° F. for one or more periods of atleast two minutes in a sanitation loop mode, and wherein said single ormultiple temperature regulating mixing station maintains said at leastfirst temperature zone at about said first hot water temperature duringoperation of said sanitation loop mode.
 17. The water heating andtreatment system of claim 16, wherein said water heater controllercauses said activation of said water heater sanitation loop on apre-determined schedule.
 18. The water heating and treatment system ofclaim 16, wherein said water heater controller is communicativelycoupled to at least one of: said UV sanitation lamp or said anti-scaledevice, and said water heater controller causes said activation of saidwater heater sanitation loop in response to a detection of at least oneof: an anti-scale device failure indication or a sanitation lamp failureindication.
 19. The water heating and treatment system of claim 1,wherein said cold water supply line comprises a sediment filter.
 20. Amethod for treating hot water to suppress pathogens and undesiredbacterial content in a water system comprising: providing a waterheater, a cold water supply line to supply water to said water heater,said cold water supply line comprising an anti-scale device and a UVsanitation lamp, a mixing station to supply a temperature regulatedheated water to one or multiple temperature zones, said mixing stationfluidly coupled to said cold water supply line and to a hot wateroutflow line from said water heater, said mixing station to supplyheated water to at least a first temperature zone at a first hot watertemperature, and wherein said water heater, said anti-scale device, saidUV sanitation lamp, and said mixing station are housed in a singleenclosure having at least one transparent wall through which componentscan be viewed; and sanitizing a cold water before flowing or pumpingsaid cold water to said water heater.
 21. The method of claim 20,further providing a water heater sanitation loop connected to the hotwater outflow line from said water heater including a sanitation looppump to circulate hot water within said water heater, and sanitizing hotwater of said water heater by operating said sanitation loop pump tocirculate hot water within said water heater at an elevated temperatureexceeding 151° F. (66° C.) and holding said elevated temperature in saidwater heater for at least 2 minutes as controlled by a water heatercontroller.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of sanitizingthe hot water of said water heater by operating said water heatersanitation loop comprises sanitizing the hot water of said water heaterby operating said water heater sanitation loop on a periodic schedule.23. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of sanitizing the hotwater of said water heater by operating said water heater sanitationloop comprises sanitizing the hot water of said water heater byoperating said water heater sanitation loop in response to a fault alarmof said UV sanitation lamp or said anti-scale device.
 24. The method ofclaim 20, wherein said single enclosure is provided with two of thetransparent walls on opposite sides of the enclosure.